These sobering numbers come from the publication "Heart
Disease and Stroke Statistics 2011" put out by the American Heart
Association.

What’s even more sobering is that
cardiovascular disease has been recognized as a leading killer of women and men
in America for more than 50 years.

THE HISTORY:

In 1963, to urge Americans to join the
battle against the disease, Congress enacted a law requiring the President to
proclaim February as “American Heart Month.”

The proclamation calls on the people of the
United States "to recognize the nationwide problem of heart and blood
vessel diseases and to support all essential programs required to solve the
problem."

To deal with the nationwide problem of
cardiovascular disease, health organizations such as The American Heart
Association (founded in 1924 by six cardiologists) have worked diligently to raise
funds for research and education on cardiovascular disease, and have worked
with other local, state, and national organizations to develop public awareness
campaigns to educate Americans about the dangers of the disease.

Heart Health Resources

One of the most recognized heart disease
campaign is called "The Heart Truth" sponsored by The National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and partner organizations.

Because heart disease is the number 1
killer of women in American, the campaign's goal is to give women a personal
and urgent wakeup call about their risk of heart disease.

The centerpiece of "The Heart Truth" is the Red Dress,
which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease
awareness in 2002 by NHLBI. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect
their heart health and inspires them to take action.

This year, to develop a wider public
awareness and focus additional attention on the dangers of heart disease, the
American Heart Association designated February 4th as "Wear Red Day," urging all Americans to "Go Red for someone you love!"

THE RESULTS:

So, how well have we done these past 50
years in reducing heart disease?

Not so good, say the experts.

Though we have made substantial medical
progress in treating certain aspects of cardiovascular disease such as high
blood pressure, and have made dangerous surgical procedures such as
angioplasty, heart bypass, and even heart transplants practically routine, we
have done a lousy job in prevention.

According to Kami Banks, M.D., M.P.H., a
cardiology research fellow in the Division of Cardiology at the University of
Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, "Despite focused public
health efforts, there is no net improvement in the overall cardiovascular risk
factor profile over the past two decades in the U.S. population."

The findings of Dr. Banks and other
medical researchers were part of a study supported by The National Institutes
of Health, and included over 20 years of data.

So why can't we get a handle on preventing
cardiovascular disease?

It seems as a nation, we are lazy and like
our comfort food.

In addition to factors related to smoking
and stress, the biggest factor that keeps us from eradicating this American
killer is obesity.

The dramatic increase in overweight and
obesity in adult Americans over the past 20 years has undermined public health
success at reducing risk for heart disease. The research shows that the average
body mass index (BMI is a measure of body fatness) increased from 26.5 to 28.8
kg/m2 -- a significant change.

Dr. Banks and fellow researchers are
calling on the medical community to put more emphasis on prevention to reverse
the obesity trend.

According to heart disease expert Dr. Paul
Heidenreich in a report published in Circulation:
Journal of the American Heart Association, by 2030 approximately 116
million people in the United States (40.5 percent) will have some form of
cardiovascular disease, and the cost to treat heart disease in the United
States will triple by 2030.

Between 2010-2030, the cost of medical
care for heart disease will rise from $273 billion to $818 billion.

In addition, researchers project heart
disease will also cost the nation billions of dollars in lost productivity
due to missed days of work from illness.

"Despite the successes in reducing
and treating heart disease over the last half century, even if we just maintain
our current rates, we will have an enormous financial burden on top of the
disease itself," concluded Dr. Heidenreich.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

Medical experts and researchers agree, we
need to continue to invest resources in the prevention of heart disease, the
treatment of risk factors and early treatment of existing cardiovascular
disease, and in educating the public about the serious nature of this disease.

And it has to begin at an early age and be
sustained throughout adulthood.

Believe the American Heart Association
when it says:

"Heart disease has
probably already touched you or someone you know. Make it your mission to fight
heart disease and stop the No. 1 killer in America!"

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